Forever
by Girls In White Dresses
Summary: For all love stories, the tragic ones are always the strongest. Forever means forever, even if she's gone. Happy Valentine's day!


**Happy Valentine's day! YAy! Chocolates and flowers to you alll! That special someone will come for you soon and you can live in a sparkly marshmallow castle with them! Haha :) **

**I have loved Byakuya Kuchiki ever since I first saw him in episode 15 which was like so many years ago! Why can't he be real! :(**

**Anyways, the song used here is When You're Gone, by...someone. It'd be cool for you to imagine Byakuya singing it :)**

**Disclaimer: Hey, its Valentine's day, and if I'm not married to Byakuya Kuchiki in a sparkly marshmallow castle I don't own Bleach.**

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><p>Byakuya Kuchiki opens his eyes, slowly. In the half-darkness the wooden panels of his ceiling stare back at him.<p>

He turns his head and looks at the empty spot next to him, cold and pristine as always. As he remembers what day it is, a single tear slides down his cheek.

_I always needed time on my own_

_I never thought I'd need you there when I cry_

_And the days feel like years when I'm alone…._

_And the bed where you lie_

_Is made up on your side_

Byakuya sits up, his dark hair streaked with silver falling messily around his shoulders. He casts one last, sorrowful glance at the empty spot on his bed, lifts the blanket and stands up, as the early morning rays of light flicker sadly.

He goes through his morning routine, trying to ignore the small calendar nailed on his wall. _February 14__th__, _it reads. Byakuya casts his eyes down and remembers that day, clear as yesterday, but so many years ago.

"_Hisana, just give it to him!"_

"_No—no-I can't…."_

"_Don't be afraid! You made it, so hurry up and give it to him! You guys are the cutest couple!"_

"_Stop it, where are you taking me- aaah!"_

_Hisana was dragged, against her will. "Nooo! Rangiku! He probably got a lot of chocolate from other girls!"_

_Byakuya held boxes and boxes of chocolate, big and small, in his arms. He could barely see, and the wave of girls just kept coming, noble girls, and girls he didn't even know. He escaped down a hall way, sighing in relief. He didn't even like chocolate…._

_He set the pile of boxes on the bench while he caught his breath. "Kuchiki-sama!" A girlish scream caught his attention. Oh, great. A horde of wild girls appeared, running after him, holding boxes of chocolate. Byakuya ran as fast as he could, glancing repeatedly over his shoulder at the incoming tsunami of crazed girls._

_Hisana looked in all directions, and finally relaxed. She had finally lost Rangiku. She looked forlornly down at the cake she had made. It was sponge cake, with chocolate icing made with whipping cream, because she knew he didn't like sweet things. Hisana continued to walk, staring down at her cake. Now she realized it was such a stupid idea. He would never-_

"_AAAAH!"_

_Byakuya collided into her, and Hisana let out a small scream. She jumped backwards, her face pink, and started in horror when she saw the chocolate icing smeared all over his attire. Her cake was ruined, but more importantly, she had probably ruined his entire life._

"_Um…I'm so sorry!" She managed to force out, her frantic mind panicking._

"_Does this count as you giving chocolate to me?" He asked, voice calm, surprising her. Hisana blushed, but said, "You were supposed to eat the cake, not wear it."_

_He reached out towards the squashed remnants of the cake on the plate Hisana was still holding, took a piece, and put it in his mouth. _

"_It's good," he said, a little smile on his face, flecks of chocolate on his cheeks._

_Hisana looked surprised, horrified, shocked, happy, and adorably cute at the same time._

Byakuya sighs, and looks in the mirror. His hair is beginning to turn silver at the roots, along with more streaks in his black hair. So many years ago… and tears begin to form in his eyes again.

_When you walk away I count the steps that you take_

_Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missing you_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missing too…._

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear to always get me through, the day…._

_And make it okay…._

_I miss you…._

Byakuya, still in his sleeping kimono, walks over to the portrait framed beside his bed. Their wedding photo, Hisana smiling up at him, her face bright and beautiful, hugging Byakuya who stands beside her, looking happier than he had ever been. Byakuya takes the portrait and holds it to his chest, and walks out of the room. He slides another set of dusty shoji doors open, and gazes at the room. Hisana's room, untouched for more than a century, all of her belongings there.

_I've never felt this way before_

_Everything that I do_

_Reminds me of you…_

Byakuya opens the closet in the room, still clutching the wedding portrait, and stares at all her kimonos, still hanging neatly, some folded on the shelves.

_And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor_

_And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do_

Byakuya takes the fabric of a kimono with cherry blossoms delicately embroidered on it, and runs it in his hands. Its silky smooth, and soft, and he puts it to his nose, inhaling the scent. It's still there, even after so long, her scent, lingering around him, and his heart feels thunderstruck. He sinks to the floor, holding her kimono and the portrait close to him, and his eyes overflow with tears, a tight clenching in his chest.

_When you walk away I count the steps that you take_

_Do you see how much I need you right now?_

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missing you_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missing too…._

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear to always get me through, the day…._

_And make it okay…._

_I miss you…._

Byakuya suddenly stands up, as if he's decided on something, hangs the kimono back up, and proceeds to gather many things, of which include incense candles, many portraits, a thin pocket knife, and sake. He dresses in special occasion clothes, silky fabric cool and smooth against his burning skin. Byakuya walks outside, and it's still very early, the sun still barely over the horizon. The walk seems very short, and its not long before he reaches the cherry blossom tree.

There it is, her grave, right underneath the tree, her favourite tree. He can picture her standing there, her hand against the trunk in early spring, picnics in the summer, snowball fights in the winter, laughing, smiling, reading back to back as lovers do.

Byakuya carefully placed the portraits and candles around it, and lit the candles, which filled the air with light smoke and soft fragrance. He poured two cups of sake and set them down on the ground, the snow gone and the frost beginning to melt. His eyes examined the portraits, Hisana, him, their friends, smiles and laughter caught in happier times, happier places. Byakuya wasn't young anymore, his hair soon to be all silver. But he had lost count of the years quite some time ago as he gazed at Hisana's lovely face.

It had been on the same day, long, long, ago. He thought of her everyday but on this day, her absence felt more powerful, because he realized, the one person who he wished to receive chocolate from was gone.

"Happy Valentine's day, Hisana," he quietly said, the tears freezing on his cheeks in the air. He placed a cherry blossom branch on the ground in front of her grave, tenderly. The delicate buds were still closed, but one had bloomed, small pink petals unfurling out to the world. It was then he noticed it, still engraved on the tree trunk after so long, and it brought a rare smile to his face.

_We were made for each other_

_Out here forever_

_I know we were, yeah_

_All I ever wanted was for you to know_

_Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul_

_I can hardly breathe I need you here with me, yeah_

Byakuya walked over, and took out the small pocket knife.

_When you're gone_

_The pieces of my heart are missing you_

_When you're gone_

_The face I came to know is missing too…_

_When you're gone_

_The words I need to hear that always get me through, the day…_

_And make it okay…._

_I miss you…._

It was engraved on the tree, a heart, and inside the heart, was,

_B + H_

Byakuya, still smiling, put the pocket knife to the gnarled bark and carved in something else, directly underneath the heart.

_Forever_

He put his cheek against the rough bark, closed his eyes, and could almost taste chocolate icing.


End file.
